Frustrated :(

[MariaC123]

Hi all..

I've had asthma since I was about 9 and it was so mild I would almost forget I had it! I'm now 20 and this past year, I feel like my asthma has got so much worse..

However, where it has always been well controlled, I'm starting to wonder whether a lot of time its all in my head..

For example today, I felt like my throat went very tight, I was a bit wheezy but it went after coughing up a bit of phlegm, and it felt like the air went really thick and I couldn't get any air in.. but my peak flow was 400 which is good for me? I didn't use my inhaler as after about 20 mins, it all went on it own and I felt fine. It's almost as if, as soon as I forget about it and make myself busy, it gets better.

Could it just be in my head?

I'm worried about having an asthma attack. I have never had one so I don't know what it feels like.. when I get a few symptoms of my asthma getting bad I get worried that it could be an attack coming but I never know?

I never wake up in the night due to my asthma so that's a good sign I suppose..

Just looking for some reassurance, I feel abit lost with it all!

I have an appointment booked with my asthma nurse but it's not for another month!

Thank you in advance

[Weeannie]

Hi you seem to be getting yourself worked up into having an asthma attack. You need to always take your preventive inhaler first and last thing everyday and always carry a rescue inhaler with you wherever you go. After that it's in the lap of the gods or the luck of the draw. Worrying about it won't do you any good. I was diagnosed at 30 and I'm now 58, I've only had 2 bad attacks in all that time that required hospitalisation for a half a day. Stop worrying about the asthma and enjoy your life. You can't predict asthma so it's pointless trying. Just take all the mess you're prescribed and go have fun with no worry xx

[Griffon]

Do you actually have asthma , if you have never had an attack I can't see how you have it ?

It seems to me that your symptoms are more psychological and possibly anxiety related , in which case this is the angle you need to take to control it .

Believe there is a good anxiety forum here on Health Ulocked , might be a starting point .

[MariaC123 in reply to Griffon]

I've asked myself the same question.. I've only really noticed it over the past few months and that's because of anxiety. But you can have asthma and not have an attack.. just means it's well controlled?

Thank you I'll have a look

[Griffon in reply to MariaC123]

To me it would seem that you need to have an asthma attack first before being able to diagnose that you have asthma .

Anxiety is real .

I had a brief spell of anxiety attacks which were caused as side affect of medication I was on .

[MariaC123 in reply to Griffon]

I was diagnosed by a doctor when I was 9.. I haven't self diagnosed it myself? I go for regular check ups and the doctors still tell me I have asthma, even without having an attack.

What medication where you on? Mine has seemed to have gotten worse since I was put on the fostair inhaler

[Superzob in reply to Griffon]

I don't think this is right. I have never had an asthma attack, but was diagnosed with it last year. The crucial thing is whether the effect is reversible - if the use of an inhaler improves your lung function, then it is asthma, however mild (as in my case) that might be. Reading around the subject, the accepted view seems to be that it is better to control it with medication because it protects the lungs, though I suspect the effect might be relatively small if the asthma is mild. But I do agree with you about anxiety: I certainly find my other complaints get worse when I'm anxious and I don't suppose asthma is an exception to that.

[WindsweptRissa in reply to Superzob]

I think there is a difference between experiencing an asthma attack and experiencing asthma symptoms, but that different people define those things and draw the line between them differently. So what one person would describe as having asthma symptoms another may describe as having an asthma attack. If you have experienced asthma symptoms, which improve with inhalers then you don't need to have an "attack" to diagnose asthma.

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Hi MariaC123

Sorry to hear you're feeling worried, but great that you've got an appointment with the asthma nurse booked.

I had a quick chat with the nurse team here at Asthma UK and Sue said it would be a good idea if you do a symptom diary so that you have an accurate picture of what has been going on with with asthma for when you has have review with the nurse (make sure you're taking your inhalers as prescribed, check your technique and have a clear written asthma action plan. Here's some information about getting the best from your asthma review: bit.ly/2urXdHX

If you feel emotions are getting in the way, here's also some information here: bit.ly/2t25uNK

Hope that helps,

Dita